Car-axle-box cover



(No Model.)

HYDE. GAR-AXLE BOX GOVBR.

No. 334,705. Patented Jan. 19, 1886..

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NITED STATES FRANCIS HYDE, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

CAR-AXLE-BO X CCVER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 334,705, dated January19, 1886,

i Application filed October 26,1885. Serial No. 180,985. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS HYDE, of Detroit, county of Wayne, State ofMichigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Car-Journal-BoxCovers; and I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in coversfor carjournal boxes, and is designed to provide such a journalbox witha cover easily operated, which can be readily removed and replaced, ifdesired, without disconnecting the journal-box, which will beself-closing, from the motion and jolting of the car, should it be leftopen by the workmen when lubricating the journal, which shall also beclose-fitting, so as to exclude dust, and which will not be liable towork loose or rattle either when new or after it has been in long use,all of which objects, together with the general construction andarrangement, are hereinafter more fully described, and more particularlypointed out in the claims. In many devices of this class heretoforeconstructed it has been impossible to renew or replace the cover withoutdisconnecting the journal-box, as in said devices it is necessary tolocate the cover in place before the box is secured to the truck-frame,the frame preventing the removal of the cover, and also the entrance ofa cover to its place. My invention is designed to overcome thisdifficulty.

In use sliding covers for car-journal boxes have been found to bepreferable, and my invention is designed'to provide a cover of thisclass.

I carry out my invention as follows: In the drawings, Figure 1 isavertical section of such a device embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is afront elevation. Fig. 3 is a side elevation with parts broken away. Fig.4 is aseparate view of the cover.

A represents an ordinary car-journal box, which I provide with guidewaysca, grooved, as shown at a ,to permit the cover sliding therein, andalso recessed toward their upper extremities, as shown at to permit thecover that position rests in the recesses of said guide- 55 ways, thelower edges of the recess being slanted or rounded, to permit the coverto work readily into and out of said recesses. These guideways may becast integral with the journal-box. They are also perforated, as shown,to receive a bolt, B, at their upper ends, said bolt provided with a nutor analogous device to hold it in place, and yet to permit of its readyremoval.

0 is the frame, to which the journal-box is Secured.

D represents my improved cover, constructed with wedge-shaped flanges dcl at its two sides, said flanges narrowing toward the bottom of thecover,to permit the cover wedging itself into place in the guidewayswhen it is thrown down into its normal position to close the box. Thecover itself, moreover, is made wedge-shaped at right angles to saidflanges, being made narrower at its lower end,to assist in wedging thecover in place when the boxis to be closed, and which shall at the sametime facilitate its ready opening, as it will cease to bind whenslightly elevated.

The guideways, as shown, project over the flanges of the cover for themost part, and form a bearing-face for said flanges, and also to preventthe entrance of dust. The cover is also provided with a shoulder or bar,D, toward its lower end, which limits the upward throw of the cover, assaid shoulder, when the cover is raised, will strike against the rod B,preventing the displacement of the cover while the rod is in place, saidshoulder also being made heavy enough to receive the impact of a hammerfor raising the cover, as is ordinarily done, and which. shall giveadditional weight to the lower end of the cover, to assist in rendering-it self-closing by its own gravity under the jolting motion of the car,should the cover be inadvertently left up by the workmen.

It will be seen that by making the cover to wedge in two ways at rightangles to each other a very close fitting cover is provided, and dust isexcluded. It is evident that the angle of the covers inclination in theguideways is such that it may be thrown upward and tilted over thejournal-box, as shown in Fig. 3, without striking against the frame 0,and it is, moreover, evident that by removing the rod B the cover may beentirely disengaged from the journal-box without the slightestdifliculty, and replaced by securing the bolt again in its place in theguideways, and the cover becomes secured in position and cannot beaccidentally displaced.

The location and construction of the re cesses (t in the guideways aresuch that the cover may be elevated and tilted back to permit the readyremoval of the brasses and wedge, and for the ready lubrication of thejournal. The shoulder or bar D serves to assistin guiding the cover inmoving it upward or downwardi. 0., to prevent too great lateral motion.The grooves are inclined toward each other at the base, so as to makethe distance apart narrower at the bottom than at the top, to conform tothe corresponding wedge shape of the cover. As so constructed, theentire journal-box and cover are practically constructed in but threepiecesthe box with the guideway integral therewith, the cover, and thebolt with the nut belonging thereto.

\Vhile I prefer to construct the shell D of sufficient length to preventtoo great lateral motion of the cover in its movement in the guideways,I would have it understood that its length is not an essential featureof my invention, its use as a guide being an unessential feature. 7

I am aware that the sliding lid or cover of a car-journal box has beenprovided with a longitudinal slot to receive a spring pin or bolt bywhich said lid is coupled to the axle-box or its housing. Iain alsoaware thatit is notnew to provide an axle-box with grooved flanges toreceive a downwardly-tapering sliding lid or cover. A sliding lid hasalso been provided with tapering end flanges fitting over upon the sidefaces of the box and carrying ribs adapted to fit and slide in verticalgrooves formed in the side faces of the box, stops being provided forpreventing the lid'from being entirely withdrawn from its engagementwith said slots. Such construction, however, I do not claim.

\Vhat I claim is l. The combination, with a ear-journal box providedwith grooved and recessed guideways, and a removable bolt passed throughthe upper ends of said guideways, of a wedgeshaped cover having wedgeshaped side flanges, and provided at its lower end with a transverseretaining-bar, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a ear-journal box having guideways providedwith tapering grooves a and recessed upper ends, a, of a wedge-shapedcover provided at its lower end with a retaining-bar, D, and havingwedgeshaped side flanges,d d, and a removable bolt, B, secured in theupper ends of the guideways, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of twowitnesses.

FRANCIS HYDE.

\Vi tn esses:

N. S. WRIGHT, M. B. ODoGnnR'rY.

